TO look at her, little Georgia Bristow is a happy, lively and talkative three-year-old.

However, today the brave girl from Fallow Field, Warndon Villages, was due to be admitted to Birmingham Children's Hospital to prepare for her 13th operation.

The operation, which takes place tomorrow, will involve removing a piece of bone from the back of her head to insert a drain, which will channel fluid that has built up in her brain directly to her spine.

Georgia suffers from hydrocephalus, an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain.

This normally leads to increased intracranial pressure.

Premature

Throughout her short life, Georgia has been a fighter.

She was born 13 weeks premature and weighed just one pound and five ounces.

She contracted meningitis at just one week old, which brought on her present condition.

"She was no bigger than my hand," said her mum, Sharon, aged 24.

"We were told that if she survived she would be brain damaged. But she has come through and doctors cannot actually believe the way she has developed.

"She is a livewire."

Mrs Bristow said it is hoped that this operation will help her appetite problems as she does not eat meals but is instead fed through a tube while she sleeps and for a short period during the day.

Previous operations have improved her speech and balance.

Future operations depend on Georgia's recovery.

But despite her condition, Georgia, who attends Woodgreen Nursery, in Trotshill Lane East, is progressing just as well as other children.

She said it has been tough for her and her husband, Simon, aged 23, but they have been amazed at how quickly their daughter recovers after each operation.

"You just do not breathe for a few hours during the operation because these are quite serious operations.

"They are routine for Birmingham Children's Hospital but it is serious for us.

"I never think of the bad that could happen. I always think that because she has recovered from every operation she has had she will come out fine."

At Georgia's birthday party, on Sunday, the family organised a fund-raising event at The Arboretum Inn, Northfield Street.

At the event, more than £1,000 was raised for a meningitis charity by people having their heads shaved and legs waxed.